Marion Memorial Bridge

Photos

Map

Street View

Description

When the new Dixie Highway extension for U.S. 41 was proposed through Haletown, this bridge was built as a toll bridge and dedicated to the county's veterans on the new highway alignment (the old Dixie Highway is still State Highway 28 through Ketner's Gap and down to Suck Creek). When TVA impounded Nickajack Lake downriver, all the trusses were raised by hydralic lift 21 feet higher to allow for barge traffic on the lake's new elevated level. Although the Parker spans resemble K-Parkers, they are not K-spans. In the 1920's and 30's, Tennessee utilized the K-span concept to strengthen the state's longer Parker spans, but for financial reasons, did not incorporate the entire design into the superstructures. They are now called K-Truss Hybrids. The reference "K-truss hybrid" is a term I coined for a type of K-truss in Parker and Camelback spans that reverses the "K" in appearance to the left of the center of the truss span. The former Tennessee Highway Department only built 10 of these bridges. All are now gone. The Tennessee Department of Transportation now recognizes the term "K-Hybrid" I coined, in describing this particular type of construction in Parker and Camelback spans. Closed permanently, January 9, 2012. - Calvin Sneed

Facts

Overview

Lost 2 Parker K-Hybrid Camelback through trusses, and 2 Warren through trusses with Polygonal top chords, all riveted, over Nickajack Lake (Tennessee River)

February 2, 2010: Updated by Calvin Sneed: All Parkers built in Tennessee used K-panels that made them look like K-Parkers, but they were not. They, including this one, were called "K-hybrids," but definitely Parkers only.

January 31, 2010: Updated by Calvin Sneed: Looked at the original paperwork for this bridge. Despite the similiarities toward the middle of the 2 Parker spans, they are not K-Parker's. They're just regular Parkers.

December 12, 2009: Updated by Matthew Ridpath: This is actually a K-Parker through truss

Comments

I was sorry to hear that the bridge was to be replaced. It was indeed a bit narrow to drive over. I recall one of the old men I knew mentioning a fatal wreck on the bridge due to a semi driver being unfamiliar with the dimensions of his load-in that case a bulldozer that had a blade that hung over the side of the trailer. According to the old man, the load tipped over when the blade hit the end of the first span, causing it to crush a passing car.

Marion Memorial Bridge

Posted February 4, 2015, by Zachary S

Sad to see only the two spans remaining when passing through there earlier this week. The replacement bridge is quite an eyesore; the view here is now much less pleasant.

I have lived 0ver 48 yrs near this bridge and see it every day. it has bese on of the most frustratung things to see this bridge traated like a piece of junk , just today fdrove to HALETOEM LOOK LIKE DRIDGE IS ABOUT ATH DESTROYED WJHY HAS THE TRUTH NEVER BEEN TOLD OPN THIS HISTORIC BRIDGE, IT IS STOMACH TURNING THE WAY THIS BRIDGRE HAS BEEN TREATED, SHAME ON OUR OFFICIALS AND TDOT ANMD BRIDGE BUILDER FOR JUNKING HISTORY OPF hALETOWN AND SHOWING DISRESPECT TO OUR VETS SHAME ON YOU ALL.

JACKWOOTEN THIS WAE SHORT COLULD OF SAID MORE MUCH MORE ON THIS SUBJECT. jackwooten37@yahoo.com

Marion Memorial Bridge

Posted March 27, 2012, by Ben Tate (benji5221 [at] yahoo [dot] com)

I visited this bridge today. I've added 40 photos to the page. They've already started construction for the new bridge. One pier is complete and another is under construction. Does anyone have any updates on the fate of the historic bridge?

I had been across this bridge once when I was a kid because we missed our turn for I-24 leaving Chattanooga, but I did get to drive across it once in December 2010 on our way from Tullahoma to Pigeon Forge. My wife, half-asleep but aware we had left the Interstate, asked me, "Where the hell are we going?" I replied, "It's a shortcut."

I passed this beautiful span on many occasions during my frequent trips from Florida to Indiana and back between 1984 and 1993. It was a landmark that I always looked for and enjoyed seeing each time and even made a couple of stops to visit.

The thought of seeing those graceful trusses replaced with a nondescript and utterly mundane slab makes me glad that I no longer make that trip!

Thanks for the info! I should have known better LOL! Often, I get obsessed with getting the pictures that I forget about my own safety. Not that the bridge is going to get up and run away from me, but I still get caught up in the magnificence of these old bridges any time I'm privileged to photograph one. Will definitely check out the safety gear.

Over at HistoricBridges.org, we use lightbars on our cars and reflective vests on our bodies. Keeps our cars and bodies safe, especially when deck and road widths are narrow and traffic volumes are high, and we tend to get less of those "strange looks" from people because we are dressed appropriately for the job at hand. You can order this sort of safety equipment easily over the Internet.

There are several reasons why. One, the area prior to the construction of the lake floods, and the bridge needed to be long enough to allow traffic in average flooding conditions. Two, the road grades were high, and the bridge needed to be long enough to connect to the road grades on each side beyond the projected flood areas.

Marion Memorial Bridge

Posted March 31, 2009, by James Gonzalski

How was this bridge built in 1929 if Nickajack Lake didn't exist where the bridge is today until a new dam was built downstream from it in the 60s some time? Hales Bar Dam, which was the original dam from 1913 that created Nickajack Lake was upstream from the bridge.

Surely the bridge didn't have to be as long as it is now before it spanned the lake prior to 1968 or thereabouts?

Is it certain that there wasn't a totally different bridge there before 1968?

Being from Indiana and living in Florida from 1984-1993, I made many trips back and forth. I found this bridge while traveling I-24 on one of those trips. I believe it is a K-truss of sorts. A beauty that I hope stays around for a long time.